The primary difference between plugins and themes lies in their purpose and functionality within a WordPress website.
WordPress Themes:
WordPress themes are primarily responsible for the visual appearance of your website. They control the design, layout, colors, navigation, and everything else that contributes to the overall look of your site. It’s worth noting that a WordPress site can only have one theme active at a time.
Themes can be categorized into two types: multipurpose and niche. Multipurpose themes offer customization options for a wide range of site types, while niche themes are designed for specific purposes, such as business or photography themes.
WordPress Plugins:
Plugins are designed to add new features and functionalities to your website. While themes affect what your site looks like, plugins affect what it can do. This means plugins can’t be as easily summarized, since there are solutions for almost any functionality you can imagine.
For instance, Contact Form 7 is a plugin that lets you build customizable forms and embed them on your pages. Other plugins, such as Jetpack or Wordfence, provide a variety of helpful tools and functionalities.